THE LOST CHILD

                        L - 1.     THE  LOST CHILD 

QUESTION  AND  ANSWERS 

Q-  1 What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Ans. On his way to the fair, the child sees the following things-
1. He saw toys that were displayed in the shops lined up on the way.
2. He saw the vast mustard field which seemed like melting gold.
3. There were brightly coloured dragonflies, butterflies and black bees which flapped their wings 
4. He also saw  little insects and worms along the footpath and he saw a dove bird in the grove.

The child often lagged behind because he would watch the different things around him. He would get attracted to these things and would stop in his way. Then, his parents would walk ahead and he would be left behind.

2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Ans. In the fair, the boy wanted the following things-
1. He wanted to buy a burfi from the sweetmeat seller.
2. He wanted a garland of flowers from the flower seller.
3. Next, he saw a balloon seller and wanted a balloon.
4. When he saw the snake – charmer he was attracted to the music of the flute and wanted to listen to it.
5. He wanted to take a ride on the roundabout swing.

The child moved ahead from all the stalls without waiting for a reply because he knew that his parents would not heed to his demands. He knew their replies in each case would be as follows .

3. When does he realize that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?
Ans. When the child raised his demand for a ride on the round about, his parents did not reply. He moved his head up to look for them. It was then that he discovered that he had lost his way. His anxiety and insecurity have been described in the following ways-
1. The child saw hefty men with murderous eyes and got scared of them.
2. He ran here and there looking for his parents.
3. His turban untied.
4. His clothes became dirty.
5. He was screaming at the top of his voice.

4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Ans. The lost child loses interest in the things that he wanted earlier because now he is sad as he has lost his parents. Before getting anything of his choice like sweets, flowers, balloons, joy rides and music, he wants to reunite with his mother and father.

5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Ans. The ending of the story is not given. I think that in the end, the boy finds his parents standing at the fair reception. Thus, the child finds his parents and they reunite once again.

EXTRACTS 

A. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

IT was the festival of spring. From the wintry shades of narrow lanes and alleys emerged a gaily clad humanity. Some walked, some rode on horses, others sat, being carried in bamboo and bullock carts. One little boy ran between his father’s legs, brimming over with life and laughter.“Come, child, come,” called his parents, as he lagged behind, fascinated by the toys in the shops that lined the way. He hurried towards his parents, his feet obedient to their call, his eyes still lingering on the receding toys. As he came to where they had stopped to wait for him, he could not suppress the desire of his heart, even though he well knew the old, cold stare of refusal in their eyes.

Q1. Name the chapter from where this extract has been taken.
Ans. The Lost Child

Q2. Who is the author of the chapter?
Ans. Mulk Raj Anand is the author of the chapter “The Lost Child”.

Q3. What fascinates the child in the fair?
Ans. Toys fascinate the child in the fair.

Q4. What do you understand by “cold stare of refusal”?
Ans. Cold stare of refusal refers to the act of refusal which is without any gesture, without mentioning a word, just through the act of staring.

 

B. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: 

A sweetmeat seller hawked, “gulab-jaman, rasagulla, burfi, jalebi,” at the corner of the entrance and a crowd pressed round his counter at the foot of an architecture of many coloured sweets, decorated with leaves of silver and gold. The child stared open eyed and his mouth watered for the burfi that was his favourite sweet. “I want that burfi,” he slowly murmured. But he half knew as he begged that his plea would not be heeded because his parents would say he was greedy. So without waiting for an answer he moved on.

Q1. What did the child ask for?
Ans. The child asked for burfi.

Q2. How did the child know that his plea would not be heard?
Ans. The child knew that his parents would refuse to buy him sweets by calling him greedy.

Q3. What do you understand by “ mouth watered”?
Ans. “ Mouth watered” means food that is arousing the appetite or tantalizingly delicious or appealing.

Q4. What do you understand by “hawk”?
Ans. “Hawked” means to try to sell things by going from place to place asking people to buy them.

Question 4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Ans. The lost child loses interest in the things he previously desired because, in that moment, the only thing he wants is to find his parents. He is panic-stricken and solely focused on being reunited with them.

Question 5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Ans. I believe the child finds his parents in the end. While he was lost, his parents would have started searching for him once they realized he was missing. The kind gentleman who tried to console the child would likely have asked for a description of his parents and helped look for them. Ultimately, with everyone's combined efforts, the child would be reunited with his parents.

One word Questions ( Revision  Questions)

1. Who is the author of the story?
2. What festival is being celebrated in the story?
3. Where was the child going with his parents?
4. What did the child want at the sweetmeat shop?
5. What did the kind man offer to calm the crying child?
6. Why did the child refuse the things he previously wanted?
7. Why does the child lag behind his parents on the way to the fair?

1. What happens to the child at the roundabout ?
2. How do the parents react when the child asks for things on the way? 
3. Who rescues the lost child at the shrine? 
4. What is the only response the child gives to the stranger’s offers?